This invention relates to arm supports for chairs, chaise loungers, and the like.
Sun bathers and others have difficulty getting both sides of their arms uniformly exposed to the sun's rays. In addition, it is relaxing and enjoyable to spread one's arms laterally outwardly while resting in a chair or reclining. Most folding chaise lounges do not have an arm support or rest and folding chairs generally which do have arm rests have the lower end of the arm rest linked to the seat support and are not laterally swingable so that when a person sits in a chair having arm rests, typically the upper arm portions are maintained close to the body preventing exposure to the sun and air. Moreover, such arm rests typically are vertically aligned with the sides of the chair so that the arms are generally tucked-in closer to the user's sides than is normal and only the wrist and forearm rest upon the chair, and this is particularly true in the case of broad shouldered people.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved arm rest assembly which may be provided as an attachment for chairs or as a part of the normal construction of a chair. A further object of the invention is to provide a sun bather's arm support which is universally adjustable to any comfortable position selected by the user.
Advantages of the invention are that the arm rest provides support for sun bathers when they are seated, reclining or laying down in a reclining position on a chaise lounger, for example. Another advantage of the invention is that the underarms of the user breathe more freely when the arm rest is at angularly outwardly adjusted in a lateral direction. This is particularly useful in a hospital or nursing home environment. The arm rest may be formed as an attachment which is attached to the lateral frame bars of a chaise lounge chair, for example, or to an already existing chair having tubular frame members. Alternatively, the adjustable arm rest of the present invention may be incorporated in existing chair design so that instead of having a fixed arm rest, the arm rest is laterally adjustable to any degree of adjustment so as to best accommodate a particular user. The forearm and arm support panel is angularly adjustable about the longitudinal axis thereof. An adjustable vertical support post is pivotally connected to the outer end of the arm rest and frictionally retained in a spring yoke snap-in holder.